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Thursday, March 28, 2013

IDF Rabbi dismissed for watching Porn

Five months after a division rabbi was dismissed for watching online pornographic sites, it was decided to appoint him to head the Torah and Instruction Division.

Last October, Ynet broke the story of the rabbi, much to the embarrassment of the Army Rabbinate. At the time, the Rabbinate decided to dismiss the rabbi from his post as a senior Division Rabbi.

The rabbi was documented visiting pornographic websites on the personal computer of one of his subordinate officers, without securing the junior officer's permission; he even entered sites offering live sex-chats.

The subordinate officer, N., filed a complaint about his commander's actions, and was released from the division and sent to serve at the Army Police's Central Division.

According to army directives, bringing pornographic materials into an army base is strictly forbidden, and there have been many incidents of soldiers being prosecuted and punished for this directive's infringement.

An army source confirmed that in the wake of the event it was decided to relieve the rabbi from his post, but not from the army.

Until his new position was decided, the rabbi served in the role of an Army Rabbinate project manager, and was charged with initiating the construction of new Synagogues in army bases.

As part of his new role, the rabbi is charged with formulating time tables, writing Halacha requirements and assisting with the Rabbinate's day to day work.

His appointment was authorized by the IDF's Chief Military Rabbi Brigadier-General Rafi Peretz.

'A bad and negative example'

A source with the IDF Rabbinate said: "The rabbi's appointment drew great criticism in the Rabbinate, among both senior and younger soldiers, because of the tension between his actions, his light punishment and his appointment to a meaningful position such a short period of time after the incident itself.

"This is a bad and negative example of moral standards of which the Rabbinate is charged with leading."

The IDF Spokesperson's Unit said in response: "The officer concluded his role and contented for a number of roles within the Rabbinate's headquarters. Recently, a decision was reached regarding his appointment. For obvious reasons we will not elaborate on the IDF's appointment procedures."